- Brunswick founder Alan Parker resigned as chair of Save the Children after current and former employees criticised his handling of sexual harassment at the charity.

- Shire Plc rejected a 42.4 billion pound takeover offer from Japanese rival Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd and Botox-maker Allergan Plc disclosed it had considered a run at the company but said it “does not intend to make an offer for Shire”.

- Chipmaker Qualcomm Inc said it was cutting 1,500 jobs across its California offices as part of a plan to reduce annual costs by $1 billion.

- HSBC Holdings Plc, at its annual meeting on Friday, will promise to stop financing coal power stations in many countries, as well as oil sands and Arctic offshore drilling projects. (Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom; Editing by Sandra Maler)